A corpora



F. L. TESMER.

TOP FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-5.1918.

Beissued Nov. 9, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT orricnj.

FREDRIGK L. TESMER, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEI ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE ASHTABULA BOW SOCKET COMPANY, OF ASHTABULA, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

TOP non VEHICLES.

Specification of Reissued Letters Patent. Reissued N 9 1920 miginal appmgatipon m March 6, 1914, seriaiNo 822,847. Renewed April 14, 1917, Serial No. 162,190. Original No. 246,352, dated November 13, 1917. Application for reissue filed March 5, 1918. Serial To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FREDRIOK L. TnsMnn,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State 1 of Ohio, have'invented a new and useful Improvement in Tops for Vehicles, of which the following is a speclficatlon, the principle of the inventionbcing hereln explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle,so as to distingulsh it from otherinventions.

The present improvements relate in gen-' craft to folding tops for vehicles and the like,

and in particular to that type of top'whichv is now generally known among the trade as a oneanan top. The essential feature of the so-called one-man top is the support of the forward portion from therear bows of the top without providing any direct supports between the forward ortion of the top and the vehicle body. arious attempts have been made along these lines, but it is extremely difficult to provide such a construction which will beboth rigid and easy to fold, and unless these two qualities are secured the construction presents but few ad vantages over the usual type of vehicle top;

ln' -the present invention I have provided a top of this type which requires but a few bows and in which the forwardly extending bow supporting the front. end of the top are rigidly secured against side play, the 1 bracing means for the same being so con ected'fi t they offer little; resistance to folding when the extreme forward bow is bent backwardly. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists cfthe means hereinafter fully describedand partieularlypoint ed out in the claims; i

The annexed drawing andthefollowing description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such .dis-. closed means constituting, however, but one of the various mechanical formsin which the principle of the. invention may be used. Y

In said annexed draw1ngz- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the preferred type of improved vehicle top; Fig. 2 is a similar View of a modified form of construction; Fig. 3 is a partial plan view of the bows in 1; and Fig. 4: is a partial plan view of the bows in Fig. 2.

may be used on any a forwardly extending, articulated, auxiliary It will be understood that the present top desired type of vehicle,

such as automobiles, carriages, boats and the like, although it has here, been illustrated for convenience as attached to the body of an automoblle. The top has but one p ointof support npon the body ofthe vehicle, at which polnt tWo divergently extending rear bows 1 and 2 are pivotally attached. The

forwardly extending one of such bows may be termed the main bowl and Suitably at tached to th1s bow,

intermediate its ends, is bow 3, the attachment being .preferably a plvotal one.

ulated at substantially the center; in other Words it consists of a forwardportio-n, 4 and,

rear portion or swinging rms, 5, theforward portion or how proper 4 having at taehed to it the front end of the cover-6 of the top, and the arms 5 being pivotally attached to the correspondingsides. of inain how 1. It is necessary in this type of tops to provide a how similar to the present auxiliary bo-w which will lie substantially horizontal when extended, for the purpose of supporting the forward end of the top when in ralsedposition, and this bow is variously termed in the trade, an outrigger or auxih dr bow. It is necessary, however, t r erly brace 0r p rt this forwardly xt ding auxiliary-bow; in order that the same may not sway too greatly upon movement of the vehicle, and since there are to be no supports from the forwardend of the vehicle to the auxiliary bow, other than. the usual connection with the Wind-shield hereinafter eferred to, the .bracing must be carried either to the rear portion of the vehicle or ment with respect to the same, such move v This auxiliary bow 3 is articthe upper part of the main. bow. Inthis way the braces vare hidden nthe upper per i tion of the top and are not visible from the:

7 attached to the upper-portion of the main Inentbeing controlled by means of a pin 9 mounted upon the portion 5 and ope ating n avSlot 10 formed in the sleeve 8. In Fig. 2,

on the-other hand, the Vsupplementalbow is 7 directly pivotally attached to the side arms 5. In either construction this supplemental bow extends upwardly and forwardly, being substantially parallel with the main bow and 1 serves to support the top intermediate the main bow and the-forward end of the au'xil iary bow, thus giving a graceful curveto the top covering 6. The purpose of the slidable connection between bows 5 and 7 is to per lithe use of a l nger bow 71t'hus' dividing the space betweenbows 1 and 4 equally. is only possible to use this longer bow when the same is slidably connected to thebow 5 since otherwise thebow Twill not'lievparallel"to"the bow '1 when folded, By the slidable .connettion the bow? is giventwo positionsrelative'to the bow 5.

In the present construction Ibrace the forward portion 40f the auxiliary bow from side of the vehicle, Brac 'es 11. arepivotally bow 1 above the point of attachment of the rear portion 5 of'the auxiliary bow, and

these braces are connected in any suitable manner with the forward portion ofthe auxiliary bow 3, This attachment'of the braces 11 to the bow 3 may eitherbe direct, J as shown In F g. 2,'or lnd rect, as shown in Fig. l, in which construction the outer end ofthe braces llare pivotally attached to other braces-or struts 12 which are themselves pivotally attached to the forward portion of the auxiliary bowfand to the supple-- mental bow 7. The struts 12 pivoted to the portion 4 of the auxiliary'bow adjacent to the rear end of the same andare disposed betweenthesides of the how 3.. l

The members 11 and 12 indififerently referred tofin the foregoing description as braces or struts might perhaps-be better called links asfbeing a more generic term without reference to the functionwhich such i In members may respectively subserve. fact, said links will obviously have dif ferent operative effect in the extended con; dition of. the top when all the parts are relatively stationary than they have when the top is being raised or lowered when such parts move relatively toward each other. It

should further, be. observed in this connection that, when the top is extended, the point of connection between link 12 and the supplemental bow lies ofi (i. 6. below) the ah the points of connecline passing throu tion-of said link, and that of the otherlink- 11 with the auxiliary: and main bows, re-V pee rely j l a ch Ekll in h bow vand parallel withithe upper par 11 of same extendedcondition' of -the'top. lies below the joint that connects the auxiliary bow land the swinging arm 5. 1 l By the foregoing means it is possible to support the forward portion4 ofthe auxiliary bow 3 from the upper portion of the nialn how 1 and to hold in proper position the supplemental how 7 by means of strut extending from the forward portion ofthe auxiliary bow. All of thebi aces are cov: ered' by the downwardly extending .sides ofthe top cover.

In. order to fold the top it is necessary to first disconnectfthe' 'same from' the wind shieldor otherportion of the vehicle to 'whichthe forward end is usually attached when the rear portion 5 of the supplemental bow-1s swung downward until parallel to the r-mainbow in the position shown in dotted outlinetin This action carries the forward portion 4 of the auxiliary how alongside the rear portion and parallel with the same, and forces the supplemental how 7 into a similar position parallel part of; the rear portion 5 of the at :iliary main bow; The'brace 11 is swungfforwz lnto a s milar parallel position, while tl strut'l2 which causes the movement of the supplemental bow is also to be found parai-' lel "with the latter when the top is thus folded. It isfnot necessary to manipulate any of the'braces or to prepareany of the same for movement, it'being suflicie'nt to detach the forward end of the. top from the wind shieldcr other suppo ts and to swing" the rear portion of the'auxiliarybow d ward into position parallel with t bow. There are no stop hinges in a v of the braces or-bows which" must'be l" before the top can be folded, nor are any movements necessary except a si l swinging down of the bow already referi e l to, this movement 'causing the positioning I .of all of the'bow'sand brac'es parallel with the main bow;

portan't advantages, the others rigiditywhen extended aud t-he simplicity of the construction. An additional advantags is the neat appearance of thetop when raised ithere being; no braces, rods or the like visiblefromthe side of the vehicle,

Other modes lof applyingthe princi file of my invention may be employed instead oi the one explained, change being made rcgards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means statedby any of the followino claimsvor the equivalent of such stated means be employed. r v v v,

I thereforeparticularlypoint out and distinctly claim as myinvention: I 1

1; In a'vehicletop, the combination of Theease with which the presenttop may be folded constitutes one of its more im being its i said auxiliary bow, and bracing means pivmain bow, an articulated auxiliary bow pivotally connected to said main bow, a supplemental bow pivotally and sli'dably attached v to the rear portion ofsaid auxiliary bow, struts pivotal 1y attached to the iorward portion of said auxiliary bow and connected to said supplemental bow to support the latter,

and braces pivotally attached to-said main bow and connected to said struts, thereby supporting the outer portion of said auxiliary bow. H 1 q 2. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow, an articulated auxiliary bow piv otally connected to said main bow,a supplemental bow pivotally and slidably attached to the rear portion ofsaid' auxiliary bow, struts pivotally attached-t0 the forward portion of said auxiliary bow and 5 being similarly connected to the supplemental bow to support the latter,- and braces pivotally attached to said main bowand being also pivotally connected to said struts adjacent to the point of attachment of the latter to the forward portion of said auxiliary bow, thereby supportingthe-latter.

3. In a vehicle top,-the combination of a main bow, an articulated auxiliary bow piv otally connected to said main bow, a supplemental bow pivot-ally and slidably attached tothe rear portion of said auxiliary bow,- struts pivotally attached to said main bow and connected to the forward portion of said auxiliary bow, and bracing meanspivotally attached to saidsupplemental bow and operatingagainstsaid struts to support said supplemental bow. 9 y

4. In a vehicle top,-thecombinat-ion of a main bow; an articulated auxiliary 'bow pivotally connected to said main bowz' links connecting said main bow with the forward portion of said auxiliary bow; and supplemental bow shiftably attached to the rear portion of said auxiliary bow and operatively connected with the forward portion of the latter. so as to be folded and unfolded in unison therewith.

5. In a vehicle top, the combination of a" main bow; an-articulated auxiliary'bow pivotally connected to said main bow';links connecting said main bow with the forward portion of said auxiliary bow; and a supplemental bow slidably attached ito the rear portion of saidauxiliary bow and operatively connected with the forward-portion of the latter, so as to be 'folded and un-' folded in unison therewith.

6. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow, an articl'il'ated auxiliarybow pivotally connected to said main bow, links pivotally attached to said im'ain bow and connected to-the forward portion of said auxiliary bow, a-supplement'al bow pivotally and slidably attached totherear portion of otally attached to said supplemental bow 'and operating against saidlinks to support said supplemental bow.

" 7; In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow,an articulated auxiliary bow pivotally connected to said main bow, a supplemental bow pivotally and slidably attached to the rear portion of saidauxiliary bow, links pivotally attached to the forward portion of said auxiliary bow andconnected to said supplem'ental'bow to support thefl'atter, and other links pivotally attached to said main bow and connected to said first named links, thereby supp auxiliary bow.

fSQIn a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow, an articulated auxiliary bow pivotally connected to said main bow, a supplemental bow pivotally andslidablyattached to the rear portion of saidauxiliary bow, links pivotally attached to the forward portion of said auxiliarybow and being similarly connected to the supplemental bow to rting'the outer-portion of saidsupport the latter andiother links pivotally attached to said main bow and being also pivotally connected to said first-named links adjacent to the point'of attachment of the latter to the forward portion of said auxiliary bow', thereby supporting the latter.

9. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow; a two-part articulated auxiliary bow, the rear portion of'said bow being pivotally connected to said main bow; a supplemental bow pivotally connected to the rear portion of said auxiliary bow; and plural links dlrectly pivotally connected together, the one such link having 'ltS one end 'plvoted to said main'bow and another such link hav-' ing itsone end pivoted to the outer portion of said "auxiliary'bow at a point beyond the joint in said bow; f

-v 1O. In a vehicle'top, the combination of a main standard; an articulated: auxiliary bow pivoted thereto; a supplemental bow pivoted to'said a'u'x'ilia'rybow; a link pivo ted at one end to said standard; and a second link pivoted at 'one' end to said auxiliary how; the other ends of said links and said supplemental connected; i

11. In' a vehicletop, the combination of'a bow being ,operati l i infield,

main standard; an articulated auxiliary bow pivoted thereto; a supplemental bow'piw oted to said auxiliary bow; and a plurality of pivotally interconnected links, one ofsaid links being pivotally connected -with said 3 standard and another with saidauxiliary bow, and one 'ofsaidf'links being further plvotally connected with said supplemental bow. i

12. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main'standard; an articulated auxiliary bow' pivoted t hereto;,-'a supplemental bow pix" Melly e ee t t he -P e s 9 id.

- auxiliary bow; and gplural links; connecting said standard and the outer portion of said auxiliary bow, said links being pivotal-1y connected together and also operatively connected withsaid supplemental bow.--

13.-In.-a-vehicle top, the combinationi oi a main: bow an articulated auxiliary bow p otally connectedtosaid main bow; a supplemental bow pivotally connected :to the rear portion .ofsaid auxiliary ,bow-;i:al d ,plural links connecting saidmain bow and the,

outerportion oftsaid auxiliary bow, said, links being directly pivotally; connected together and also operatively. connected with said supplemental bow. I

' 14. In a; vehi le-toIp, thecombination of a main bow, an articulated auxiliary bowpiyotallyconnected to said main bow; asupplemental bow pivotally connected to v the connected with said supplemental abow.

15. In a Vehicletop, the combination of; a main bow; an, articulated auxiliary bow; pivotally connected tosaid 'main bow ;[asupplemental bow pivotally connected: to g the rear portionofsaid auxiliary-bow; and two pivotally interconnected links connecting said main bow andwthe, outergportion; of said auxiliary bow, the one of 'Sflld'jllllkS being also connected {with said supplemen- 'tal bow; v 16. In a vehicle top,-the combination. of

armain bow; an articulated auxiliary bow pivotally. connected to said main bow; a

1 ing said main bow and the outer portioniof; said auxiliary bow,'the forward one of said links being also directly ,pivotally connected auxiliary bow, whereby; the latter may be 110' horizontal position; a supplemental bow supplemental bow- ,pivotally; connected to the rear portion of said auxiliaryjbow; and two pivotally-interconnected links connectwith' said supplemental "bow. v

I In a h l p, the'combination [main how; an auxiliary bow; arms piv-f otallattached to said main bow and-said, auxi iary bow, whereby the latter may supported from, the former in substant ally horizontal position; asupplemental bow pivotally supported en'- said 5 arms links 7 connecting the sides of said s supplementalv bow with the correspondingsides ofon'e; of "the 'aforementioned;'bows; and other:

links connecting said fi-rst named links with the sides of the other'such aforementioned bow.

x ary hereby e la ter meyvbe supported jfrom I the former in substantially-.- horlzontal position; a supplementalj bow pivotally supported 0 saldju mss. nksn connecting the sidesv ofsaid supplemental extended;-

- when the top; is extended.- f

.7 22; In 'a: vehicle top, the combination of aimain .-bow;-;anauxiliary bow; arms piw otally attached to said: main-bow. and" said auxiliary bow, whereby the latter i may be ppo ed fromthee qrmerxin substantially 'horizontalposition a; supplemental 1 bow piizo allym ppert dlz n..said rm i inks:

18, In a vehicle top; thev combinationot a ma-in bow; an;aux1liary-bow;;arms prv otally attached to said main bow and said-f,

how: with-the corresponding sides of said auxiliarybow; and other links connecting said'firstmamed. links with the sides of said main bow, v i 19. In a vehicle top; thecombination vof Ia main;.bow; an'auxiliary; bow; arms piv-, otally attached to said main bow and said auxiliary bow, whereby the latter may be links with said supplemental bow lying-off the line passing through the points s of connection of sa'idlinks with such aforemenrespectively, when the top is tioned. bows,

20.; In a vehicle top, the, combination of a main-bow; an auxiliary bow; arms pivotally attached te -said main bow and-said auxiliary-bow, whereby the latter may be supported from the Jform'er :in substantially horizontal position; a supplemental bow pivotally supported on said-arms; links scon-; necting the sides of, said supplemental bow with thepcorrespondingi sides of one of the aforementioned bows; and'= other ilinks connectingsaid first-named links with the sides of the'other such vaforementioned @bow, the

points i of connection of said first-named v links with said supplementalbow lyingbelow the line passing: through the; points of connectionsof jsaid links .with suchaforementioned bows' re'spectiyely, when 'the top is'extended.

21., 1n ,a; vehicle; top, the combination of ama1n;;bo,w; an auxiliary -bow; arms pivotally=attachedato said main- "bow'andw said supported from the formerin substantially pivotallysupportedon said arms; linksconmain bow, the points of {connection of said I first-named links wwithh sa-id, supplemental bow lyingv belew" the: line =passing-through the points of connection of :saidlinks with respectively, I

such aforementioned bows,

connecting t e: sides of said supplemental bow withthe corresponding sides of one of the aforementioned bows; and other links connecting sald first-named links with the sides of the other such aforementioned bow,

auxiliary bow with said arms,

the links thus connected with said auxiliary bow lying below the joints that connect said when the top is extended.

23. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow; an auxiliary bow; arms pivotally attached to said main bow and said auxiliary bow, whereby the latter may be supported from the former in substantially horizontal position; a. supplemental bow pivotally supported on said arms; links connecting the sides of said supplemental bow with the corresponding sidesof one of the aforementioned bows; and other links connecting said first-named links with the sidesof the other such aforementioned bow, the points of connection of saidfirst-named links with said supplemental bow lying below the line passing through the points of connection of said links with such aforementioned bows, respectively, when the top is extended, and the links thus connected with said auxiliary bow at'the' same time lying below the joints that connect said auxiliary bow with said arms.

24. In a vehicle top, the combination of a main bow; an auxiliary bow; arms pivotally attached to said main bow and said auxiliary bow, whereby the latter may be supported from the former in substantially horizontal position; a supplemental bow bow with said arms,

piv'otally supported on said arms; links connectingthe sides of said supplemental bow with the corresponding. sides of said auxiliary bow; and other links connecting said first-named links with the sides of said main bow, said first-named links lying bewith the corresponding sides ofsaid auxiliary bow; and other links connecting said first-named links with the sides of said main how, the points of connection of said first named links with said supplemental bow lying below the line passing through the points of connection of said links with such aforementioned bows, respectively, when the top is extended, and said first-named links at the same time lying below the joints that connect said auxiliary bow withsaid arms.

Signed by me this 27th day of February,

I -F REDRICK L. TESMER. Attested by a RICHARD BRUDY, H. B. FAY. 

